by Joshua Hook | Apr 10, 2019 | Virtue
I was reading an interesting paper the other day, and the authors argued that the key virtues for a good life can each be found in the movie “The Wizard of Oz.” The 3 virtues are each connected to one of the 3 “helpers” that Dorothy meets along her...
by Joshua Hook | Apr 1, 2019 | Need
Author Jim Dethmer writes that any issue we are dealing with in our life actually reflects a want. And all of our issues and wants boil down to three core wants—(1) security, (2) approval, and (3) control. Security Security is the most basic want, because it has to do...
by Joshua Hook | Feb 27, 2019 | Need
Why do you do the things you do? For most of us, we aren’t sure. Day to day, we pretty much do our thing and go through the motions. We might have certain goals, like to get married or make a lot of money. But most of us haven’t done an in-depth analysis of what we...
by Joshua Hook | Dec 19, 2018 | Bible
I finished reading a book awhile back about what the Bible has to say about human sexuality. It was an interesting read. One of the author’s main points was that it is problematic to pick and choose various Bible verses to support one’s particular position on...
by Joshua Hook | Dec 17, 2018 | Love
One of my favorite stories in the Bible is the Good Samaritan. If you haven’t heard it before, Jesus is talking with another religious leader about what you need to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus asks the guy what he thinks. What Should We Do? The religious leader...
by Joshua Hook | Nov 4, 2018 | Responsibility
While taking calls on his weekly radio show before the LSU game, Alabama coach Nick Saban was asked a simple question by one of the callers: “If you win the coin toss, will you elect to kick or receive?” Saban’s response was epic: “I hope we elect to kick ass!” The...
by Joshua Hook | Oct 31, 2018 | Love
Last month, I helped out at the Refresh conference, which is for adoptive and foster parents. It was great—parents received some useful information and training, and they also experienced encouragement and refreshment. What Do I Have to Offer? Sometimes I struggle in...
by Joshua Hook | Oct 7, 2018 | Responsibility
We were taught from a young age that it’s good to be responsible. At its core, being responsible means you are accountable for your actions. In other words, you’re in control of how you act and behave. Outside My Control Sometimes external events happen that are...
by Joshua Hook | Aug 24, 2018 | Grace
A few years ago, I spent the Labor Day weekend in Holland, Michigan, connecting with some good friends from graduate school. Holland is a beautiful small town in Western Michigan. We caught up, ate great food, hiked the sand dunes, and swam in Lake Michigan. The...
by Joshua Hook | Aug 17, 2018 | Humility
I love reading the Gospels. I think part of the reason is that throughout my life, no matter how frustrated or upset I have been with religion, I always liked Jesus. I always thought he was on point with what he said and did. As much as I thought those WWJD (What...
